Film cleaning machine



Sept. 19, 1933. A. s. DWORSKY 1,927,784

FILM CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY fi/vfiam .5. wan:

AQTITORNE Y Sept. 19, 1933. A. s. DWORSKY FILM CLEANING MACHINE Filed-Dec. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 INVENTOR pwoj;

flbrafiam J 5 B y y A TTORNE y Patented Sept. 19, 1933 f UNITED STATES FILM CLEANING MACHINE Abraham's. Dworsky, New York, -N. Y., assignor to James N. Catlow, New York, N. Y.

Application December 24,1931

Serial N0. 583,13?

9 Claims. 1 (Cl. -100) This invention relates to film cleaning machines and particularly to machines for clean- 7 ing motion picture films, such films being cleaned by passing the same through the cleaning machine which is situated intermediate a paying off reel and a receiving reel carrying such film.

A principal object of the invention is to pror sorbent, which cloths are adapted to contact with the faces of the film in the cleaning operation.

Another principal object is to provide means to shift at will the cleaning faces of the cloths.

Another principal object is to provide means for holding the film in proper tension during the cleaning operation.

Other objects will be apparent from reading this specification in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the same.

In the drawings, l

Figure l is a front view of my film cleaning machine; I

Figure 2 is a top view thereof;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the machine;

Figure 4 is a detail showing the feeding mechanism for the cleaning cloths; and

Figure 5 is a cross section taken along the line 55 'of Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which similar characters refer to similar parts throughout, 6 is the frame of. the machine, and '7 the base thereof. Securing means 8 are provided to fasten the machine to a table 9 or other support.

Mounted in the frame of the machine are spin-' dles 14, on which are adapted to rotate a pair of upper spools, 10 and 11, respectively, and hingeably connected with the frame of the machine is a lowercleaning assembly in which are spindles 14a, 14a, carrying a pair of lower spools l2 and 13, respectively. On the upper pair of spools 10 and 11 is mounted the upper cleaning cloth 1t and on the lower pair of spools is mounted the lower cleaning cloth 16. Any one of these spools may be manually rotated so as to wind the cleaning cloth thereon, the same being correspondingly paid off the other spool in operative connection therewith. That is, if the cloth is wound on spool 10, it will be paid off from spool 11,

and if the cloth is wound on spool 12, it; will be paid.v offfrom spool 13. Thereverse movement of the cloths may beleffected by winding the same on spoolsll' and 13, respectively,

,Which'case theipaying off spools willbe spoolslO 1 and 12, respectively.

The respectivefdiscs'of the spools 10,11,12 and I 13 adjacent theframe 6 are given the form of ratchet wheels 17518, 19 and- 20," respectively,

- ratchet wheels 17 and '18 being adapted to be en'* 3 I gaged-by the pawl 21 and ratchet wheels19and' 20 being adaptedto be engaged by the pawl; 22. I The cooperation of the pawls andratchet wheels holds the cloths inoperative position.

Mounted in the lower spool assembly and form'-' 7 ing part of such assembly is a lower platform 23' extending over the lower spools 12 ant 13 and having a depressed portion 24 in which is inserted Y a moistening .pad 25. This depressed portion is provided with an impervious step 46 at its'outer 7 end which fits closely to the floor and sides of the depressed portion, for the purpose of prevent T ing the drip of cleaning fluid from the absorbent pad 25. This platform 23 at its ends preferably follows the contour of the upper portion of the 8 .7

lower spools. 12 and 13. I have also provided an' upper platform 26 supported in the frame of the machine, having a depressed portion 2'7, which upper and-lower pairs of spools when the machine I -is in operative position'so as togive a slightly waved condition to the passing between. a

I have provided a reservoir 28 having the closed top-29 and means 30 for filling the reservoin'the 1 j cleaning cloths and film said reservoir being adapted to contain ther .5 cleaningfluid intended to be passedtothe clean.-

ing cloths. Connected with-this reservoir is aw conduit 31 which conducts the cleaning fluid to 1 a cup 32 which by the conduit 33 connects with the moistening pad 25;

Two pairs of tension spools 34, 34(1135, 35d; y

are also mounted on spindles and supported by the frame. One of eachpair of these spools, namely, 34 and 35, is mounted on a spindle 34b and 35?), respectively, which spindles are carried directly by the frarnefof the machine. The oth- 10:3- er spools 34a and 35aare mounted on spindles 34cand 350, respectively, which in turn are carried by oscillating arms. 36', 37, which are mounted on the spindles 34b and 35b'which extend through the rear of the frame for this purposeullo PATENT The said oscillating arms 36 and 3'7 are influenced by tension springs 38, 39, adapting the spools carried by said arms to add tension to the film in its travel through the cleaning machine.

The lower spools l2 and 13 and the lower platform 26 are made in one assembly which is hinged to the frame of the machine at 40, the other end of said assembly being provided with a set screw 41 which passes through the slot 42 in the frame and which set screw is adapted to secure the said lower assembly in fixed position to the frame. The depressed portion 27 of the upper platform is provided with a moistening pad 47 which is fed by a wick 48 which extends from said moisteningpad through the platform of 'the machine to the cup 32 which contains cleaning fluid.

In operation a reel of film 43 intended to be cleaned is shown, and a winding reel 44 is pro-'' vided for the film as the same has been cleaned by the machine. moistening pad has been saturated with the cleaning fluid passing from the reservoir 28 through the conduit 31, cup 32, and conduit 33, and that the moistening pad 47 has been saturated -throughthecapillary attraction of they wick i 48',."th'e opposite end of which is inserted in the cleaning liquid in the cup 32, and that the cleantions on and between their respective rolls.

ing'cloths 15 and 16 are in their respective posi- The lower spool and platform assembly is let down to =the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 preparatory to threading the film 45 through the 7 machine. The film 45 is then threaded from the.

direction ofthe paying off reel 43 to the winding 7 reel 44, passing under the spool 34, and over the 's'pool'34a, between the two cleaning cloths 15 and 16,, under. the spool 35 and over the spool 35a, onto the winding reel 44. The winding of the spool 44 draws the film through the cleaning machine, thereby-effecting a cleansing of the film. The

:s'pools 34 and 35aare influenced out of their.

inoperative position by the film which is held in tension thereby so as to take up any slack in the.

film between the reels and the cleaningmachine;

and'thej film in its travel through the machine between the cleaning cloths is given a slightly, I waved path so as to provide for proper-wiping.

thereof to cleanthe film of foreign matter. The portions of'the cloths contiguous to themoistening pads are moistened from the pads to dissolve viforeign particles on thefilm which are removed,

and thefilm dried by its further travel between the dry absorbent portions of the cloths.

The cleaning cloths 15 and 16 are adapted to beshifted so as to present clean surfaces to the -film passing therebetween. This is done by manually turning either of the spools 10 or 11 to change the cleaning surface of the upper cloth, andturning the spools 12or 13 to-changethe cleaning surface of the lower cloth. I- haveabove shown and described what I believe'to be the best embodiment of my invention. I do not wish to be limited in patent protection, however, tothe embodiment shown and described, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Ibla'im: I 1. Ina film cleaningmachine, a pair of cleaning elements having faces contiguous to each' other, means for maintaining the same in opera tive position, means for moistening portions of said cleaning elements, a portion of said'cleaning elementsbeing maintained in dryjabsorbent conditio n' and means adapted to draw a film be It will be assumed that the tween the contiguous faces of said cleaning elements for the purpose of moistening and drying the film in its travel between said cleaning elements.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the means for moistening portions of the cleaning elements consist of absorbent pads, a cleaning fluid reservoir and conductors for carrying the cleaning fluid to the said moistening'pads.

3. The structure defined in claim l in which the means for moistening portions of the cleaning elements consist of absorbent pads, a clean of clean- 7 means for moisteningportions of said cleaning elements,-other portionsthereof being maintained in dry absorbent condition. 1

, 5. In'a film cleaning machine, .apair of cleaning elements, a pair of rolls on which one of said cleaningelements is supported andanother pair of rolls on which the. other of saidclea'ning elements is supported, faces of said cleaning elements being contiguousto' each other, means for maintainingsa'id rolls in operative position and. meansfforqmoistening portions of said cleaning 7 elements. and other portions thereof being main-' tained indry absorbent condition, the'said rollsv eing adapted to be turned to change the position of their respective cleaning elements.

6. The structurefldefined in claim 5 in which a hingeableframe is .p1=ovided'adapted to carry one pair of rolls, and means for securing the.

hingeable frame in fixed position tothe frame" of thecleaning machine. I

7. The structure defined by, claim 5in which a platform is provided extending partiallyover each pair of rolls, said platforms having chambers therein adapted to hold vmoistening padsJ-T.

8. In a film cleaning machine, a winding; reel and a paying off reel, a pair of cleaning elements, means for maintaining thesame-in operative position, means for moistening portions of said cleaning elements, other portions thereof ,being, maintained dry and absorbent, such dry absorbent portionsbeing nearer to the winding reeljthan the moistened portions, said winding reel being adapted-to draw the film from the payingoifreel through the machine and between its cleaning.

elements for thepurposes set forth. Q

9. In a filin cleaningmachine, a winding reel and a paying off reel, a pair of cleaning elements,

means for maintainingthe same in operatiye p0;-

siticn, mea ns for moistening portions of said,

cleaning ele'menteother portions thereof being maintained dry and absorbent, such dry absor bent portions being nearer to the winding reel than the, moistened portions, said windingreel being; adapted to draw the film from the. paying olffrfeel through the machine and between its; cleaning elements for the purposes'set forth, and

means being provided for holding the film tension between thereels and the cleaning ma;

chine; I i l V ABRAHAM s. Dwoas Y. 

